By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Travel Radar - Aviation NewsTravel Radar - Aviation News
  • Breaking News
  • Aviation
    • Aircraft
    • Airlines
    • Airshow & Events
    • Careers
    • Manufacturing
  • Travel
    • Airports
    • Points & Loyalty
    • Technology
    • Trip Reviews
  • Newsletters
Reading: Emirates Reintroduces the World’s Oldest Airbus A380 to Service
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Font ResizerAa
Travel Radar - Aviation NewsTravel Radar - Aviation News
  • Breaking News
  • Aviation
    • Aircraft
    • Airlines
    • Airshow & Events
    • Careers
    • Manufacturing
  • Travel
    • Airports
    • Points & Loyalty
    • Technology
    • Trip Reviews
  • Newsletters
Signin Sign In
Follow US
Copyright © Travel Radar Media Ltd. 2025 | All Rights Reserved
Travel Radar - Aviation News > News > Aviation > Aircraft > Emirates Reintroduces the World’s Oldest Airbus A380 to Service
AircraftAirlinesAviation

Emirates Reintroduces the World’s Oldest Airbus A380 to Service

Finlay Shaw
Last updated: 8 April 2025 23:43
By Finlay Shaw 4 Min Read
Share
Underside of Emirates A380 wing.
Emirates Airlines to bring back retired A380 © WZM Pictures
SHARE

Emirates, one of the UAE’s flagship carriers, have returned their oldest Airbus A380-861 to passenger service after 5 years of inactivity. The aircraft was originally built in February 2006, but put into storage at Dubai World Central International Airport (DWC) in 2020. This marks a key moment in aviation history, as this 19-year-old aircraft becomes the world’s oldest active passenger-carrying A380.

Emirates A380 Aircraft
Emirates is the largest global operator of the A380 and has a total of 121 of the type © Harrison Macourt

Emirates Bring Oldest A380 Back into Service

After extensive storage at DWC, the aircraft was ferried to Dubai International Airport (DXB) on December 30, 2023, completing a brief 21-minute journey. Prior to returning to passenger service, the aircraft underwent a 3-hour and 30-minute test flight on March 29, 2025. Its first commercial flight was EK925, traveling from Dubai (DXB) to Cairo (CAI). Since then, the aircraft (A6-EDF) has operated additional flights to destinations such as Jeddah (JED) and Zurich (ZRH).

The inaugural return flight, EK925,  departed DXB at 22:39 arriving in Cairo (CAI) at midnight local time. The return flight EK926 left Cairo at 01:54, landing back in Dubai at 06:52.

Reintroducing an aging aircraft comes with its own set of operational difficulties. One of the key disadvantages is the increased weight of such aircraft as a result of the older airframes when compared to more model models. This often leads to increased fuel usage and higher maintenance expenses. Though, Emirates’ choice to bring A6-EDF back into service is probably influenced by positive economic factors, such as the aircraft’s acquisition costs being fully depreciated.

Emirates A380 Aircraft
A6-EDF’s inaugural return flight operated as EK925 on April 3 © Miguel Cuenca

Who are Emirates?

Emirates is a prominent international airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 1985 with just two aircraft, it has since grown to become one of the world’s largest and most recognized airlines. Known for its luxury services, state-of-the-art fleet, and extensive global network, Emirates operates flights to over 150 destinations across six continents. The airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai.

Emirates is renowned for its commitment to providing high-quality passenger experiences, offering amenities like private suites, onboard showers, and fine dining, especially in its premium cabins. It operates a large fleet of wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, and has established itself as a major player in both the long-haul travel market and the competitive Middle Eastern aviation sector.

The airline recently appeared in the news after the decision to introduce refreshed Boeing 777s on flights to Riyadh.

Emirates Aircraft Tail
Emirates continue providing luxury services on the A380 © Emirates

Would you fly with Emirates? Let us know below!

You Might Also Like

Swiss Airline Edelweiss Expands Fleet and Acquires its First Airbus A320neo

South African Carrier Mango Airlines Enters Structured Wind Down as Investor Withdraws

Turkish Airlines Confirms €300 million Minority Stake Investment in Air Europa

Boeing 737 Max 8 Joins AJet in Turkish Airlines’ Fleet Expansion

Air Canada to gradually resume service after reaching settlement with union

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link
What’s your thoughts?
Love1
Sad0
Happy0
Angry0
Finlay Shaw
By Finlay Shaw
Aviation Reporter and Editor - With a passion for exploring the skies through the lens of storytelling. Currently a student of Film and Broadcast Production, Finlay intends to bring a unique blend of technical expertise and creative insight to writing.
Previous Article Tokyo Shibuya Scramble Crossing WestJet to Fly to Tokyo Year Round
Next Article ANA Airbus 380 Aircraft ANA Launches Hello Blue Sale: Affordable Flights from Australia to Japan
1 Comment
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Upvoted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
John
John
4 months ago

Have flown Emirates A380s and will definitely do so again !

0
Reply

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe

Trending News

Person Holding World Globe Facing Mountain
Travel Smarter: How to Stay Connected Anywhere in the World
Technology Travel Travel Radar
Yacht on water with a seaplane
Top Destinations Around the World for an Unforgettable Yacht Vacation
Travel Travel Radar Trip Reviews
A line of Turkish Airways planes with red tails and white bodies lined up at Istanbul Airport.
Istanbul Airport Releases Sustainability Report for 2024
Airports Aviation Careers
A Qatar Airways airplane is captured mid-flight against a clear blue sky. The aircraft's landing gear is extended, indicating it is either taking off or preparing to land. The airline's name "QATAR" is prominently displayed on the side of the plane in bold maroon letters, along with Arabic script.
Qatar Airways will begin service at The New Terminal One at JFK by 2026
Airlines Airports Aviation
A Finnair airplane is parked at a snowy airport gate, with ground service vehicles and equipment surrounding it. Another Finnair aircraft can be seen in the background on the tarmac. The sky is clear and blue, indicating a cold but sunny day.
Finnair announces a limited-time offer for passengers to earn Double Avios and Tier Points
Airlines Aviation Points & Loyalty
//

Travel Radar is the leading digital hub for all things aviation and air-travel. Discover our latest aviation news, aviation data, insight and analysis.

Discover

  • Latest News
  • Subscribe
  • Weekly Digest
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Media Coverage
  • Press & Events
  • Join Our Team
  • Our Brands

Signup to our Newsletter!

And get the latest aviation news via our weekly news digest!

© Travel Radar Media Ltd. 2015-2025 | ISSN #2635-0696 | Trademark #UK00003579704
wpDiscuz
adbanner
AdBlock Detected
Ads help us bring you high-quality, independent journalism for free. Support us by whitelisting us from your ad blocker.
Okay, I'll Whitelist
Welcome to the TR Community!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?